“I wish he had won the award earlier…”: Anil Sharma on Dharmendra’s Padma Vibhushan honour

Filmmaker Anil Sharma remembered Bollywood legend Dharmendra and expressed his admiration following the actor’s Padma Vibhushan honour posthumously.
Speaking to ANI, he said, “I remember him a lot. I even tweeted yesterday. I wish he had won the award earlier. He would have been very happy. He would have accepted the award. But Dharamji’s ek legend hai aur kuch legends aese ho jaate hai jo awards aur titles ke upar ho jaate hai..(Few legends are above awards and titles)…Dharmendra apne aap mein hona ek award hai..”
On January 26, Sharma wrote on X, “Heartfelt congratulations to every admirer of @aapkadharam ji on his #PadmaVibhushan. One only wishes this honour had come earlier, when he could have accepted it himself… the joy would have been immeasurable. Yet the truth remains… some legacies rise above awards. The love, respect, and admiration Dharam ji received from generations is far greater than any title, medal or any award”
Legendary star Dharmendra, who passed away on November 24, 2025, has been conferred with Padma Vibhushan posthumously. On the eve of Republic Day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) unveiled the official list of Padma awardees for 2026. The prestigious civilian honours recognise individuals from diverse fields, including arts, literature, social service, medicine, education and public service, for their excellence, dedication and long-term contribution to society.
Dharmendra was honoured with several accolades, including the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 and the Padma Bhushan in 2012.
The ‘Gadar’ director added that he deserves the Dadasaheb Phalke Award also, “Vo Dadasaheb Phalke Award bhi deserve karte hai and Bharat Ratna also..ye awards unke rehte milte to aur acha hota (It would have been really great if he had received these awards while he was alive.”-TIN Bureau